Zeus and the goddess Leto, daughter of the Titans Coeus and Phoebe, had two children who would rise to take a place in the Olympian pantheon. The twins were named Apollo and Artemis, and their arrival in the world was not so simple.
Hera, Zeus’s wife, was madly jealous of Leto and tried to prevent the birth of Leto’s two children. She confronted Leto and sent a snake to terrorize the goddess and prevent her from finding a place to give birth to her children. It was the goddess Asteria who offered her sister refuge on the island of Ortigia and there Leto gave birth to Artemis and Apollo.
Artermis was born first and immediately set about helping her mother through the nine days of labor she had to endure to give birth to her son Apollo. Leto’s aunt, Themis, acted as the twins’ caretaker, feeding them ambrosia and nectar, the food of the gods.
Apollo and Artemis deeply loved their mother and protected their mother’s safety and honor. A tale from Greek mythology tells how Artemis and Apollo prevented Leto from being raped by Titus in the grove of Delphi. Summoned by his mother, they bound the giant Titus with their arrows that rained down on him and killed him in an instant. Zeus was outraged by Titus’ actions and sent him to Hades.
Another myth tells the story of how Artemis and Apollo killed all the children of the goddess Niobe when she bragged about the superior beauty of her own children and insulted Leto. Although it is unclear if this was a defense of her mother or was motivated by her own outrage.
At a young age, Zeus told Artemis to name the gifts she desired. Artemis chose a bow and arrow, the free kingdom of the mountains, a city to inhabit, and eternal virginity. Zeus granted all these wishes. Artemis would come to be seen as the virgin goddess of hunting and wildlife. She was also seen as a protective figure for women in childbirth.
Apollo would become the god of archery, healing, music, and youth. Greek mythology tells how Apollo took the bow created for him by Hephaestus and chased the serpent to Delphi, where he killed it. Gaia was outraged at having desecrated her sanctuary, where the Oracle of Delphi resided. Apollo was not punished for his crime and eventually became the god of Prophecy, and the Oracle of Delphi became the Oracle of Apollo.
He would also become an influential god of music whose musicianship was unparalleled. Many challenged Apollo to competitions of musical prowess, but all failed to defeat the god.
Apollo never married, although she was definitely not an immortal virgin. He was the father of more than a dozen children by many women, both goddesses and mortals.
The twin god and goddess, Apollo and Artemis, were forever connected in Greek mythology. They are both skilled archers and hunters who often enjoyed hunting together. They shared the ability to subject mortals to plague and pestilence as well.
